These places just won’t stay snuffed out.
The city is warning a group of landlords who are allegedly allowing illegal pot stores to continue operating in their buildings after being shut down by the city that they face major fines if they don’t keep the locations closed.
The caution was sent by Mayor Eric Adams’ enforcement team to some 50 landlords that have been renting to unlicensed pot and tobacco shops that have been recently padlocked and hit with some $7 million in penalties, the Post has learned.
It turns out that some of the illicit joints have lighted back up despite the closure orders — and warning letters said landlords could face fines of $1,000 a day if they aren’t once again shuttered.
“It is your responsibility to ensure that the premises are operated in accordance with applicable law,” the letter sent Monday jointly to landlords by Adams’ Office of Special Enforcement, Sheriff Anthony Miranda and the NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban said.
The letter explains to landlords “is empowered to request that the building owner or landlord initiate an action to remove tenants from the property.”
Authorities can move ahead with fines and even permanent eviction proceedings against the store if the landlord refuses to cooperate, officials said.
At these 50 locations the city has already imposed more than $7 million in penalties — including an estimated $3.9 million in illegal cannabis or tobacco seized and another $3.2 million in civil penalties issued.
The storefronts are part of a massive wave of illicit pot shops that have opened up around the city after the drug was legalized. They are operating even though they were not given the proper licenses to sell recreational cannabis — licenses that have so far only been given to a handful of dealers.
In total, the city has imposed more than $63 million in penalties to illegal shops — including $40.5 million in illegal product seizures and $23 million in civil penalties issued and has conducted more than 1,300 inspections.
City officials declined to name the names of the building owners, saying the landlords’ properties are subjects of active investigations.
“Our administration is using every tool available to protect young people and all New Yorkers from dangerous, illegal cannabis and tobacco products, while sending a clear message that anyone helping these illegal, unlicensed shops spread throughout our communities will be held accountable,” Adams said.
Sheriff Miranda said the action was “important for people to see” because “people are sick” of the estimated 1,500 unlicensed shops selling weed.
“We’re putting building owners on notice. If they don’t, they can be put out of business.,” Miranda told The Post.
Critics claim enforcement against the illegal weed shops has not been a priority of the NYPD, but Police Commissioner Edward Caban begged to differ.
“The New York City Police Department is committed to eradicating the unlicensed, illegal smoke shops that destabilize an emerging business interest and pose significant public safety and health risks in neighborhoods throughout the five boroughs,” Caban said in a statement released by the mayor’s office.
The targeting of 50 landlords throughout the five boroughs builds on the Adams administration’s partnership with Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, and other local law enforcement and elected officials to combat the rise of illegal smoke shops in Manhattan.
Meanwhile, the state Cannabis Control Board — as The Post reported Sunday — voted Monday as expected to settle a lawsuit accusing it of favoring convicted pot dealers over disabled vets in handing out cannabis licenses.